The Government and housing industry agree skills deal

The deal will create “tens of thousands” of new house-building jobs and apprenticeships

The Government and house-building industry have struck a deal to create “tens of thousands” of new house-building jobs and apprenticeships, it was announced yesterday (November 5).

The Home Builders Federation held a housebuilding careers summit at Taylor Wimpey’s Chobham Manor site at the Olympic Park, attended by housebuilders and ministers Brandon Lewis and Nick Boles, to discuss one of the key issues now facing the industry – a lack of skilled labour.

To maintain the momentum that the industry has recently enjoyed and address the range of skills that the industry needs – not just onsite but also elsewhere – the government and industry agreed on the following:

– The industry will recruit tens of thousands of new workers in the coming years, including thousands of apprentices, graduates and ex-military personnel. It will also increase the numbers of school leavers joining the industry

– The Government will work with the industry to improve the image of housebuilding to attract young people, for example enabling industry representatives to work with schools to explain the range of opportunities available

– The Government and industry will also unite to make sure that apprenticeships and training standards meet the needs of the modern building industry – including taking into consideration new building methods such as off-site construction

– The industry will work more closely with the military to help increase the numbers of former members of the Armed Forces to move into housebuilding. It will also address how more people who were forced to leave the industry during the downturn could rejoin it

Stewart Baseley, HBF’s Executive Chairman, said: “The industry is committed to working with government to ensure more of our brightest and most talented young people become the housebuilders of the future and the actions we have agreed today will help us achieve that. In the coming years we need to be building more of what are the best designed, most energy efficient homes in the world – and we need thousands of our brightest and most ambitious young people to help us deliver.”